30 April 2024
Wahoo has announced that runners excited to run indoors can now start the pre-order process for the KICKR RUN treadmill, which was announced earlier this year. Wahoo confirmed the previously planned $4,999USD pricing, and says they expect a delivery date in the Fall 2024.
The KICKR RUN will initially be shipping this year to the US, and then Wahoo has previously stated they’re working to expand it to other geographies next year. That roughly follows what they did for the KICKR BIKE when it first announced a few years back.
Wahoo also confirmed that the KICKR RUN treadmill will include “white-glove” delivery service. That industry term means that they’ve partnered with a service provider which will not only deliver the treadmill, but unbox and fully set it up in the place of your choosing within your home.
With that, let’s just quickly iterate through the specs (for those unfamiliar), and then down below I explain the pre-ordering process – as there are some hoops to jump through if you want to be first in line.
KICKR RUN Tech Specs:
In case you’re not familiar, the KICKR RUN Treadmill was announced back in January, and contains the deepest tech-first integration and 3rd party compatibility we’ve seen on a treadmill to date. This includes not just standardized ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart compatibility (across numerous device profiles within that), but also an expanded API for apps to take advantage of. This includes Zwift, Kinomap, and more.
However, the bulk of the interest lies within Wahoo’s novel Run Free mode, which uses time of flight sensors to determine exactly where you are on the belt, and can dynamically adjust the speed of the treadmill fast enough (in realtime) to a account for you sliding back or forward on the belt. If you move forward, it’ll speed up the treadmill speed, and if you fall back, it’ll slow it down.
Here’s the quick main specs (versus features, which are a bit different):
– Top Pace: 4:00/mi (2:28/km)
– Top Speed: 15MPH (24KPH)
– Maximum Incline: +15%
– Maximum Decline: -3%
– Belt Length: 69” (175cm)
– Belt Width: 22” (56cm)
– Weight of treadmill: 275lbs
– Max Runner Weight: 250lbs
– Laptop/tablet/phone holder (up to 17” in size)
– USB-C 24w Charging (for tablets/laptops/phones)
– 110v or 220v options (for different global regions)
– 3.0 Horsepower motor
– Time of flight sensors for position
– Individual actuators for incline
– WiFI Connectivity (using Wahoo Direct Connect)
– Ethernet Connectivity (using Wahoo Direct Connect)
– Bluetooth FTMS Control
– ANT+ Footpod (for connecting to watches/etc)
– Bluetooth Smart Footpod (for connecting to watches/etc)
– Wahoo Treadmill API control
After that video/post, there were many more questions, all of which I answered in another post, aptly titled “25 More KICKR RUN Questions & Answers”. Or, this video below.
In general though, while $5K might seem like a lot for a treadmill (and yes, compared to a $1,000-$2,000 treadmill it is), if we look at the treadmill speed/incline/etc specs Wahoo is delivering, the price is actually incredibly competitive to others in this category – and arguably significantly lower than others (which tend to be about $7-$10K for these specs, even before we account for the Run Free mode that nobody else has).
Pre-Order Process:
Now in terms of the KICKR RUN pre-order, process, here’s how it’s gonna work. It’s slightly complex and drawn out, but not too confusing. TLDR: Sign-up today for a mailing list, and then you’ll be able to pre-order tomorrow, May 1st with a $500 refundable deposit to reserve your place in the queue. Then, when Wahoo is ready to start shipping, they’ll send you an e-mail and you’ll have $500 to pay the remainder and schedule delivery (which is done with a so-called ‘white-glove’ service that’ll unbox/build/configure/place the KICKR RUN in your Pain Cave).
Or, here’s the official copy/paste version from Wahoo:
Registration: Runners have been invited to register interest at Wahoo Fitness ahead of the pre-order opening, to ensure they do not miss out.
Exclusive Pre-Order: Pre-registered runners will receive exclusive, early access from May 1st at 8am ET, to ensure they get the best opportunity to secure the first deliveries of KICKR RUN.
Open Pre-Order: From Thursday 2nd May at 8am ET, pre-order will be open to all.
Delivery: Runners will be scheduled to take delivery starting in Fall 2024.
So again, you’ll want to register interest now, to place a pre-order tomorrow May 1st at 8AM ET for a $500 refundable deposit, to in turn get your spot in the queue, so you can finish paying this fall for your delivery.
I asked Wahoo about the refund aspect of the deposit. They said you can request a refund at any time. So if you decide you need to spend that on Ben & Jerry’s ice cream before next fall (which is totally understandable), you can do so. But, you’d lose your place in the queue. Tough choices, obviously.
Going Forward:
In terms of a final in-depth review, that’ll come sometime this summer, roughly just ahead of shipping starts (whenever that is), which is pending final KICKR RUN hardware to be delivered to the DCR Cave, and then whichever software version Wahoo deems final. As always, I aim to have my reviews on final hardware and software – so I’ll keep adding test data/run times for both myself and my wife until Wahoo confirms a final software version.
Of course, as I said in all my KICKR RUN posts/videos previously, anytime you’re on the early adopter train, especially with big hardware, it can be a bumpy ride. Wahoo has a long history of slightly bumpy rides for their larger hardware projects (namely, indoor smart bikes, but also totally new trainer, e.g. the CORE when it first came out). Whereas things that have had a V2 version tend to be much smoother for them.
Would I pre-order? If I lived in the US, yes, I probably would (I live in Amsterdam, where it’s not yet available for ordering). Merely because it’s refundable, and would give me time to see how other reviews pan out down the road. For most people buying a $5,000 treadmill, the $500 refundable deposit isn’t likely to be a big deal in terms of liquidity. Thus, if it ends up being bad in reviews, you simply get your $500 back and go out and get (a lot of) ice cream instead.
Based on my limited hour or two of running on it, I think it’s incredible. But that’s also just that – a couple runs. I simply need more time to form a better long-term opinion (which as noted, I’ll have a unit shortly). As always, stay tuned, and thanks for reading!